Violence Against Women
Source: StarAfrica
The country’s Minister of Women’s Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Zainab Maina, told journalists in Abuja on Friday that, “if you read Nigerian newspapers, there is no day a case of domestic violence such as gang rape and sexual abuse of the underage, women are not reported”.
“On the average, this will translate to 365 cases in a year.
“In the British Council Gender in Nigeria report of 2012, up to one third of Nigerian women reported that they had been subjected to different forms of violence.
“One in five women has experienced physical violence, this is unacceptable, we must all stand to fight this trend.”
She stressed the need for government at all levels to show zero tolerance to all forms of violence against women and girls, adding that this would help women and girls fulfill their potentials.
Maina said that ending violence against women was not an option but a priority for development, peace, security and human rights.
She said that there was the need to strengthen laws, policies and implementing strategic actions to end violence against women, such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Bill.
The minister said that the bill, which was an expanded law before the House of Representatives, when passed, would address all forms of sexual violence committed against both male and female.
“The existing laws have become obsolete and there is the need to pass the VAPP Bill, to handle most of the emerging cases.’